U.S.DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(New York, New York)
September 14, 2000
REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT AT PRESS
AVAILABILITY
September 14, 2000
New York, New York
Q: Madame Secretary, in Washington the Indian Prime Minister in a
speech to Congress asked for understanding for India's nuclear
program, saying that India didn't want to upset nonproliferation goals
but it has to work its security problems out. And you met with the
Pakistani Foreign Minister. I know you're going back to -- or at least
I think you're going back to Washington to get involved in the Indian
visit.
What is your reaction to this Indian proposition that the world ought
to understand India needs a nuclear program, too?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well, we have obviously been working very hard,
both before and during and after the President's trip to India, to
build a qualitatively better relationship with this important country.
But narrowing our differences on the nuclear nonproliferation issue is
clearly one of the important aspects of that process. We are going to
keep nuclear nonproliferation on the agenda within the context of the
overall relationship, and we will be talking about this.
I mentioned today in a meeting with my Pakistani counterpart that we
want them to sign the CTBT and that we are disappointed that they
haven't, just as is true of the Indians, and that it's very important
that those who have pledged to do so do so. But I think that what is
important at this stage is that a moratorium on testing continue, and
I think that that is something that will be stated. And obviously
we're going to be discussing this issue with Prime Minister Vajpayee
in Washington tomorrow. I will be there.